Ledge Sweet

Apple

Ledge Sweet

Origin/History

Originated in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Also known as Portsmouth Sweet (Downing). Elliott cites Hovey's Magazine as an additional source.

Tree

Tree vigorous (Downing), productive, and a regular bearer. Further tree characteristics not described in sources.

Fruit

Size: The sources conflict: Downing describes the fruit as medium; Elliott and Thomas both describe it as large.

Form: Roundish-oblate (Downing, Thomas); Elliott describes it as roundish flattened. The three accounts are broadly consistent in describing a flattened, roundish form.

Stem: Very short and stout (Downing; Elliott concurs: short, stout).

Cavity: The sources conflict: Downing describes the cavity as broad and not deep; Elliott describes it as open and deep.

Calyx: The sources conflict slightly: Downing describes the calyx as closed; Elliott describes it as partially closed. Segments short (Downing).

Basin: The sources conflict: Downing describes the basin as medium and slightly corrugated; Elliott describes it as shallow.

Skin: The sources conflict on ground color and markings. Downing describes the skin as whitish yellow, thinly shaded with red, splashed and striped with dark red, and thinly sprinkled with light and gray dots. Elliott describes it as yellowish green tinged with blush in the sun, with reddish russet specks. Thomas describes it as yellowish-green with a blush.

Flesh/Flavor: The sources conflict on several points. Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, a little coarse, tender, juicy, mild, half sweet, and pleasant. Elliott describes it as yellowish white, fine, juicy, crisp, and sweet. Both agree on juiciness; they conflict on color (yellowish vs. yellowish white), texture (a little coarse vs. fine), and degree of sweetness (half sweet vs. sweet).

Core/Seeds: Downing describes the core as small. Elliott describes the core as open and the seeds as light brown. These details are not necessarily contradictory.

Season

A good keeper. Downing gives the season as December to March. Elliott gives January to June. Thomas notes it is a good keeper without specifying dates.

Uses

Not described in sources.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in sources.

Other

Quality rated Good or Very Good by Downing.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois

Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (3)

Ledge Sweet. Portsmouth Sweet. Origin, Portsmouth, N. H. Tree vigorous, productive, regular bearer. Fruit medium, oblate, whitish yellow, thinly shaded with red, splashed and striped with dark red, thinly sprinkled with light and gray dots. Stalk very short, stout. Cavity broad, not deep. Calyx closed. Segments short. Basin medium, slightly corrugated. Flesh yellowish, a little coarse, tender, juicy, mild, half sweet, pleasant. Core small. Good or very good. December to March.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Ledge Sweet. From Portsmouth, N. H. Tree, productive, regular bearer. Fruit, large, roundish flattened ; yellowish green tinged with blush in sun, reddish russet specks ; stem, short, stout : cavity, open, deep ; calyx, partially closed ; basin, shallow ; core, open ; seeds, light brown ; flesh, yellowish white, fine, juicy, crisp, sweet. January to June. (Hov. Mag.)

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Ledge Sweet. Large, roundish-oblate, yellowish-green with a blush; sweet. A good keeper. N. H.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Haven Pippin Portsmouth Sweet